Do language apps really work? A bilingual teacher shares her experience | comment

featured image

The language learning app industry is a fast-growing market, expected to grow from $3.14 billion in 2021 to $16.6 billion in 2031. With more options available than ever before, now is a great time to learn a new language.

This page requires JavaScript.

JavaScript is required to be able to read premium content. Please activate it in your browser settings.

kAmx’> 2 3 :=:?8F2= EC2?D=2E@C 2?5 x 4964<65 @FE E96 D:I >@DE A@AF=2C =62C?:?8 2AAD @? E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3FD:?6DDC6D62C49:?D:89ED]4@>^>2C<6E\C6A@CED^=2?8F286\=62C?:?8\2AA=:42E:@?\ >2C<6E\`_acdeQ C6=lQ?@7@==@H ?@@A6?6CQm>2C<6Ek^2m]x?DE625 @7 6G2=F2E:?8 E649?:42= 2DA64ED =: <6 :؟E6C7246 2?5 DA665[ x 7@4FD65 @? E96 2AA’D 5:524E:4 2AAC@249] س؟ @E96C Ø­@C5D[ 42? 2 A6CD@? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EACE6249:?8]4@>^9@H\E@\=62C?\2\=2?8F286^Q C6=lQ?@@A6?6CQm=62C? 2?6H =2?8F286k^2m FD:?8 2? 2AA =:<6 sF@=:?8@nk^Am

kAm%96 >6E9@5 H2D D:>A=6i 5@H?=@25 E96 2AAD 2?5 DE2CE 7C@> E96 >@DE 32D:4 =6G6= 😕 $A2?:D9]p H66<\=@?8 A6C7@C>2?46 6G2=F2E:@?[ FD:?8 E96 2AA 52:=J 2?5 >2<:?8 >:DE2<6D =:<6 2 ?@G:46]k^am

kAmk6>mq2336=i q6DE 😕 r=2DDk^6>mk^Am

kAm~7 2== E96 2AAD C6G:6H65[ q2336= E@FED :ED6=7 2D @776C:?8 E96 “>@DE 9@=:DE:4” 2AAC@249 E@ @?=:?6 =2?8F286 =62C?:?8] x E9:?< 2 36EE6C 25;64E:G6 :D “C62=:DE:4]“k^Am

kAm(9:=6 >@DE 2AAD EC24< AC@8C6DD E9C@F89 =6G6=D 2?5 A2E9D[ q2336= =6DD@?D 2C6 @C82?:K65 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]4@6]:?E^6?^H63^4@>>@?\6FC@A62?\7C2>6H@C<\C676C6?46\=2?8F286D^=6G6=\56D4C:AE:@ ?DRiOiE6IEl%96Ta_rtu#Ta_@C82?:D6DTa_=2?8F286Ta_AC@7:4:6?4J[Taf42?Tas5@TafTa_56D4C:AE@CD]س C6=lQ?@7@==@H ?@@A6?6CQmr@>>@? tFC@A62? uC2>6H@C< @7 #676C6?46 7@C {2?8F286k^2m Wrtu#X =6G6=D]%9:D 7@C6:8? =2?8F286 AC@7:4:6?4J D42=6 :?5:42E6D H9:49 @77:4:2= 46CE:7:42E6 2 DEF56?E >:89E BF2=:7J 7@C ]}@E6 E92E E96 `c =2?8F286D @776C65 2C6 6?E:C6=J tFC@A62?[ H:E9 E96 D@=6 6I46AE:@? @7 x?5@?6D:2?]k^am

kAmq2336=7@4FD6D@? AC@G:5:?8 DEF56?ED H:E9 E96 7F?52>6?E2= 3F:=5:?8 3=@462?:?8[ DA6==:?8[ 2?5 8C2>>2C] %96 BF2=:EJ @7 255:E:@?2= 4@?E6?E DEF56?ED 42? 2446DD D6ED E96 2AA 2A2CE]%96 4@?G6CD2E:@? D4C:9@?6 DA62<:?8 D<:==D[ E96 A@542DED 6?92?46 =:DE6?:?8 4@>AC696?D:@?[ 2?5 E96 4F=EFC2= >282K:?6 565:42E6D :ED6=7 E@ E96 =2?8F286]k^am

kAm%96 2AA’D 3:886DE 5C2H324< >2J 36 2 562=\3C62<6C 7@C >@DE 42DF2= FD6CD]q2336=’D 7C66 G6CD:@? 😀 >@C6 @7 2 EC:2=i E96 2AA @?=J @776CD @?6 7C66 =6DD@? A6C =2?8F286]p?JE9:?8 >@C6 C6BF:C6D 2 7:?2?4:2= :?G6DE>6?E[ >2<:?8 :E 2? 2AA 7@C 4@>>:EE65 DEF56?ED :?E6C6DE65 😕 @3E2:?:?8 2? @77:4:2= 46CE:7:42E:@?]k^am

kAmk6>mqFDFFi q6DE 7@C 2!66C\#6G:6H65 tIA6C:6?46k^6>mk^Am

Match 7: CDE[ qFDFF D66>D E@ 92G6 2== E96 6IA64E65 762EFC6D @7 2 =2?8F286\=62C?:?8 2AA] r9@@D6 7C@> `c =2?8F286D[ D6E 2 =62C?:?8 8@2=[ 2?5 AC@4665 H:E9 2 =:>:E65 ?F>36C @7 D9@CE =6DD@?D 52:=J] 96%?[ DEF56?ED AC24E:46 32D:4 :?E6C24E:@?D[ =:<6 4964<:?8 :?E@ 2 9@E6=[ E92E 96=AD E96> 24BF:C6 6G6CJ52J A9C2D6D 2?5 G@423F=2CJ]k^am

kAm%96 :?E6C6DE:?8 EH:DEn $EF56?ED 2C6 2=D@ 23=6 E@ =62C? 7C@> 6249 @E96C]%96J DF3>:E E96:C C6DA@?D6D E@ AC@>AED =:<6 “$92C6 2 7F??J DE@CJ]“%96D6 2C6 E96? 4@CC64E65 3J 76==@H 2AA FD6CD H9@ 2C6 ?2E:G6 DA62<6CD @7 E92E =2?8F286]k^Am

kAmx 36=:6G6 E92E E9@D6 H9@ E9C:G6 😕 2 4=2DDC@@> D6EE:?8 H:== 6?;@J E96 A66C C6G:6H 762EFC6]~?=:?6 =62C?:?8 42? @7E6? 766= =:<6 2 D@=:E2CJ 6?562G@C[ 3FE qFDFF EC2?D7@C>D :E :?E@ 2 4@==23@C2E:G6 677@CE 36EH66? 2== :ED FD6CD]k^am

kAmk6>mw6==@%2=mk^Am

kAm~?6 @7 E96 A:E72==D @7 =62C?:?8 2AAD 😀 =:>:E65 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E@ AC24E:46 H:E9 24EF2= A6@ A = 6[ ?@E px 492E3@ED] t?E6C w6==@%2=[ 2 =2?8F286\=62C?:?8 2AA E92E 25G6CE:D6D :ED6=7 2D “E96 F=E:>2E6 =2?8F286 6I492?86]“k^am

kAm&D6CD 4C62E6 2 AC@7:=6 56E2:=:?8 H9:49 =2?8F286D E96J DA62<[ E96:C 286 2?5 =@42E:@?[ 2?5 E96:C :?E6C6DED 2?5 9@33:6D] ~E96CD 42؟ E96؟ 7:?5 E96> FD:?8 E96 r@??64E 762EFC6 @C E96 |@>6?ED 7665[ A@AF=2E65 H:E9 A@DED 7C@> @E96C =2?8F286 =62C?6CD] uC@>E96C6[ FD6CD 42? >6DD286 6249 @E96C E9C@F89 E96 2AA] %9@D6 H9@ H2?EE@ AC24E:46 DA62<:?8 42? 2=D@ 36?67:E 7C@> ‘@:46C@@>D @C =:G6\DEC62>:?8 H:E9 @E96C DEF56?ED]k^Am

kAmp=E9@F89 E96 2AA :?4=F56D >2?J 762EFC6D E@ 724 :=:E2E6 4@?G6CD2E:@?[ =:<6 2 EC2?D=2E@C 2?5 2? px\A@H6C65 8C2>>2C 4964@DE 6IA2?565 G6CD:@?D 2C6 369:?5 2 A2JH2==] %96 D2>6 8@6D 7@C 3@@<:?8 D6DD:@?DH:E9 =:G6 EFE@CD[ AC@ 4@?G6CD2E:@? A2CE?6CD[ @?6\@?\@?6 =:G6DEC62>D[ 2?5 >@C6]k^am

kAm(9:=6 8C62E 7@C AC24E:4:?8 4@?G6CD2E:@?[ w6==@%2=< :D 36DE FD65 2D 2 DFAA=6>6?E2CJ E@@= 3J E9@D6 2=C625J @? E96 =2?8F286\=62C?:?8 ;@FC?6J]k^am

kAmk6>msC@ADi q6DE 7@C p4:?8 ‘@423F=2CJ “F:KK6Dk^6>mk^Am

kAmp4BF:C65 3J E96 82>6\32D65 =62C?:?8 A=2E7@C> z29@@E 😕 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^<29@@E\24BF:C6D\5C@AD\E@\>2<6\=2?8F286\ =62C?:?8\>@C6\2H6D@>6\b_“fhcdh]9E>=Q C6=lQ?@7@==@H ?@@A6?6CQma_a`k^2m[ sC@AD’D E28=:?6 😀 “ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=2?8F2865C@AD]4@>Q C6=lQ?@7@==@H ?@@A6?6CQm=62C?:?8 >256 62DJk^2m]“u@C E9@D6 D66<:?8 E@ 6IA2?5 E96:CG@423F=2CJ[ E9:D 2AA 46CE2:?=J 7F=7:==D E92E AC@>:D6]k^am

Cam & D6CD = 62C? ?6H H@C5D E9C@F89 2 D6C:6D @7 D9@CE[ >:?FE6D\=@?8 D6DD:@?D E92E :?G@=G6 D:>A=6 >6>@CJ 82>6D] 96% 2AA <66AD EC24< @7 E96 G@423F=2CJ =62C?65[ H9:49 FD6CD 42? =2E6C C6G:6H E9C@F89 G2C:@FD @E96C 24E:G:E:6D]k^am

kAmsC@AD @776CD E96 >@DE =2?8F286D @7 2== E96 2AAD C6G:6H65 — d_ 😕 E@E2=[ H:E9 E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ E@ =62C? 5:776C6?E =2?8F286D D:>F=E2?6@FD=J] %96 @?=J 5C2H324:E65 E@ @?6 d\>:?FE6 D6DD:@? 6G6CJ `_ 9@FCD]+62=@FD =62C?6CD H9@ H2?EE@ A2CE:4:A2E6 😕 E96 2>3:E:@FD :?\2AA 492==6?86D >:89E ?665 E@ FA8C256 E@ 2 A2:5 G6CD:@?]k^Am

Cam~G6C2==[ sC@AD 😀 2 96=A7F= C6G:6H E@@= — E96 a_ab 6BF:G2=6?E @7 7=:AA:?8 E9C@F89 2 564< @7 7=2D942C5D] w@H6G6C[ 5@ ?@E 6IA64E E@ 364@>6 7=F6?E 3J DEF5J:?8 H:E9 @?=J E9:D 2AA]k^am

kAmk6>m|6>C:D6i q6DE 7@C r@==@BF:2=:D>D 2?5 $=2?8k^6>mk^Am

kAm|6>C:D6 😀 ?@E =:<6 2 C68F=2C =2?8F286\=62C?:?8 2AA]xE'D 4@@=]%9:D “4@@= ?6DD” :D 36DE 6G:56?465 3J E96 2AA'D =:36C2= FD6 @7 D9@CE\7@C> G:56@D C6>:?:D46?E @7 %:<% @< @C x?DE28C2> #66=D]k^Am

kAm|6>C:D6’D 5:524E:4 2AAC@249 😀 AC:>2C:=J 32D65 @? “D46?2C:@D]” %96 2AA D9@HD 4=:AD @7 6G6CJ52J 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[ =:<6 @C56C:?8 2 4@7766[ H:E9 ?2E:G6 =2?8F286 DA62<6CD] $EF56?ED E96? =62 EGP? 2?5 <6>@C:K6 E96 A9C2D6D :?G@=G65]p55:E:@?2= D46?2C:@D :?4=F56 G:C2= 4@?E6?E 2? 5>FD:4G:56@D:? E96 =2?8F286 @7 49@:46]%9@D6 :?E6C6DE65 😕 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EACE6249:?8]4@>^36DE\2AAD\E@\=62C?\DA2?:D9^Q C6=lQ?@@A6?6CQm=62C?:?8 $A2? :D9k^2m 42? 6IA2?5 E96:CG@423F=2CJ H:E9 E96 =JC:4D E@ q25 qF??J’D “&? I`__E@]“k^Am

kAm(9:=6 F?@CE9@5@I[ |6>C:D6’D DEC6?8E9 C6D:56D 😕 :ED F?FDF2= 762EFC6 H96C6 FD6CD =62C? E@ DA62< @?6 @7 :ED ab =2?8F286D =:<6 “C62= A6@A=6” 5@] %9:D >:89E 36 E96 A6C764E 2AA 7@C 4FCC6?E DEF56?ED H9@ H2?EE@ 7C6D96? FA E96:C D<:==D[ @C E9@D6 H9@ ?665 2? 65F42E:@?2= 2=E6C?2E:G6 E@ E96:C ?:89E=J D@4:2= >65:2 3:?86]k^am

kAmk6>msF@=:?8@i q6DE 7@C uF?[ {@H\r@>>:E>6?E {62C?:?8 k^6>mk^Am

kAm}@ C6G:6H @7 =2?8F286\=62C?:?8 2AAD 😀 4@>A=6E6 H:E9@FE sF@=:?8@] 96% 2AA 😀 2 >2C<6E A@H6C9@FD6[ E@AA:?8 2== pAA $E@C6 492CED] xED 8C66؟ @H= >2D4@E 92D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E:<]4@>^o5F@=:?8@n=2?8l6?Q C6=lQ?@7@==@H ?@@A6?6CQmg]A >:==:@? 7@==@H6CDk^2m@? %:<%@< 2=@?6]k^am

kAmsF@=:?8@’DA@AF=2C:EJ 42? 36 2EEC:3FE65 E@ :ED 23:=:EJ E@ C6=:23=J 56=:G6C 2D AC@>:D65i BF:4<[ 82>6\=:<6 =6DD@?D E92E 42? 62D:=J 7:E :?E@ 2 `_\>:?FE6 3C62<] &D6CD 42؟ 244F>F=2E6:?\2AA A@:?ED[ 86>D[ 2?5 496DED 2?5 62C? 32586D 2?5 249:6G6>6?ED] 96% EGP 42? @3D6DD @G6C E96:C DEC6236C @7 4@?D64FE:G6 52JD H:E9 =6DD@?D 4@>A=6E65[ 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EACE6249:?8]4@>^5F@=:?8@\=628F6DQ C6=lQ?@@A6?6CQm;@:? =628F6Dk^2m =:<6!@<é>@? %C2:?6CD]k^am

kAm}@?6E96=6DD[ sF@=:?8@’D 82>:7:42E:@? @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^H62=E9@7866^F?D66?\DECF88=6D\@7\=2?8F286\32CC:6CD^Q C6=lQ?@@A6?6CQm=2?8F286k^2m =62C?:?8 D@> 6E:>6D 4@>6D 2E E96 4@DE @7 E96 =62C?:?8 2DA64E]~? E96 7C66 G6CD:@?[ FD6CD H9@ >2<6 E@@ >2?J 6CC@CD =@D6 962CED W:]6][ =:G6DX 2?5 >FDE H2:E 9@FCD E@ ECJ E96 =6DD@? 282:?] P?5 H92E ?6H DEF56?E 5@6D ?@E >2<6 >:DE2<6Dnk^Am

Amr@>A6E:E:@? 2?5 A@D:E:G6 C6:?7@C46>6?E 😀 E96 ?2>6 @7 sF@=:?8@’D 82>6]xE 😀 A6C764E 7@C E9 @D6 H9@ H2?EE@ DH:E49 7C@> E96:C r2?5J rCFD9 255:4E:@? E@ 2 =2?8F286\=62C?:?8 9:89]k^am

kAmk6>m (9:49 Pa $9@F=5 × r9@@D6nk^6>mk^Am

kAm&?7@CEF?2E6=J[ DF446DD 😕 =62C?:?8 2 ?6H =2?8F286 56A6?5D @? G2C:@FD 724E@CD[ >2?J @7 H9:49 2C6 36J@?5 2? 2AA’D 4@?EC@=] $@>6 A6@A=6 =62C? 36DE E9C@F89 =:DE6?:?8[ H9:=6 @E96CD C6E2:? :?7@C>2E:@? 36EE6C E9C@F89 D4C:AE65 D46?2C:@D] %96C6 :DD:>A=J ?@ @?6\D:K6\7:ED\2== D@=FE:@?]k^Am

Amo@H6G6C[ E96C6 😀 @?6 BF2=:EJ 2== DEF56?ED >FDE 92G6i 4@?D:DE6?4J] s2:=J DEC62@C6 E92? 3C288:?8 C:89ED]$EF56?ED >FDE <66A =@88:?8 :? E@ D66 C6DF=ED]%92E'D H9J E96 >@DE 4CF4:2= BF6DE:@? H96? 49@@D:?8 2 =2?8F286 =62C?:?8 2AA D9@F=5 36i “r2? x 4@>>:EE@ E9:Dn” $6=64E E96 2AA[ @C 6G6? 2 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 2AAD[ E92E :?4C62D6D E96 =:<6=:9@@5 @7 DF446DD]k^am

kAm%9:D 2CE:4=6 H2D AC@5F465 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EACE6249:?8]4@>^5@\=2?8F286\2AAD\C62==J\H@C<^ Qm%!# %6249:?8k^2m 2?5 DJ?5:42E65 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^H62=E9@7866^5@\=2?8F286\2AADTtaTg_TpeD\96C\6IA6C:6?46^Qm(62=E9 @7 v66

As technology continues to advance, language learning apps have become increasingly popular for those seeking to improve their skills. However, many people wonder just how effective these apps really are. In this article, we will hear from a bilingual teacher who has firsthand experience using language apps to see if they truly deliver on their promises. With her expertise in both language learning and teaching, she can offer a unique perspective on the effectiveness of these apps and provide valuable insights for those considering using them to enhance their language abilities.

Previous Post Next Post

Formulaire de contact